{
  "abstract": "Ablative pulsed plasma thruster (APPT)-induced fluorocarbon contamination severely degrades microsatellite optics and solar panels, but the spatial heterogeneity of its chemo-optical properties and underlying plasma-film mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this work, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning probe microscopy (SPM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry were used to characterize the chemical structure, morphology, thickness, and chemo-optical properties of PTFE-derived fluorocarbon films, while high-speed imaging and triple Langmuir probe diagnostics were used to map plume conditions governing film formation. The film F/C ratio (0.6–1.0) is far lower than that of pristine PTFE (2.0), controlled by competition between energetic ion sputtering and delayed neutral C2F4 deposition. In the electrode-perpendicular plane, the F/C ratio reaches a minimum ~0.6 at 30°, corresponding to a transmittance of <20% at 550 nm; anode-side films exhibit lower F/C ratios and transmittance yet higher reflectance than cathode-side counterparts. Films in the electrode-parallel plane show quasi-symmetric bond distributions and higher F/C ratios and transmittance, with F/C minima at ±15°. By correlating plasma anisotropy (cathode-biased electron density and anode-biased electron temperature) with film chemistry and optics, we identify this ion–neutral competition as the origin of angle-dependent film properties. This work provides design guidelines: optics within 30° of the thruster axis in the perpendicular plane require active protection, enabling quantitative anisotropic contamination risk assessment for microsatellites.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "School of Engineering Science, Shandong Xiehe University, Jinan 250107, China",
    "Research Institute of Aerospace Technology, Central South University, Changsha 410012, China"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Rui Zhang",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-0822-1513"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Zhen He",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4714-7435"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yingjie Zhao",
      "orcid": "0009-0003-7040-2590"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Wenxiong Xi"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1ewbn0z6ghkpx.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/polym18202562",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13708867",
  "id": "1ewbn0z6ghkpx",
  "issns": [
    "2073-4360"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/20/2562",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2208|Plasma Diagnostics and Applications"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7222930987",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13708867?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13708867",
  "pmid": "42942684",
  "published": "2026-10-17",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1ewbn0z6ghkpx.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:44Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/polym18202562",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/20/2562"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:22:12Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42942684",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42942684"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "issn:2073-4360",
      "subfield": "materials-polymers"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Anisotropic Microstructure and Chemo-Optical Properties of Fluorocarbon Films Deposited by Ablative Pulsed Plasma Thruster Plumes",
  "title_text": "Anisotropic Microstructure and Chemo-Optical Properties of Fluorocarbon Films Deposited by Ablative Pulsed Plasma Thruster Plumes",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:22:12Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1ewbn0z6ghkpx",
  "venue": "Polymers",
  "versions": []
}